Book review: Find secrets in 'Hidden History of St. Augustine'

“Hidden History of St. Augustine” (The History Press) by Drew Sappington. (144 pages, $19.99)

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As St. Augustine nears its 450th anniversary author Drew Sappington has gathered what he describes as a “new collection of seldom-heard stories from the Ancient City’s past.”

Written in humorous style Chapter 2, for example, is entitled “Four, Three, Two, One — Don’t Mess with Pedro,” referring to the city’s founder Pedro Menendez de Aviles.

In this chapter, Sappington recounts the French and Spanish clash around 1540 when a very brave young man who, commanding one of three coast guard boats, found himself facing the French alone after his cohorts, as Sappington recounted: “The commanders of the other two boats called for a committee to study the situation back home in port and sailed away.”

So the lone, young commander, “took the only logical course of action. He attacked. He sailed right over to the four pirate ships while his crew contemplated the chances of a transfer. Now I do not claim to be a naval historian, but is my considered opinion that it was not the custom at that time for single boats to assault fleets.

“It may be, of course, that he hoped to sneak up on the pirates. But if that was his plan, he undermined it by his next move. He got all his banners flying. He got his fifes and drums playing. Cranked them up full blast, kind of like a 16th century boombox, something to annoy his French neighbors. Music to rumble by.”

To find out just how this situation came to an end we suggest you read the book.

Sappington’s book has been well received thus far, he reports, and some have suggested that “it is history the way they wish it had been taught in schools.”

Now a resident of the oldest city, Sappington says he moved here “because of my interest in its history.” Involved in the community he belongs to the Tale Tellers, he’s retired from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and he’s currently working at Psychological Services here and at Webster University in Jacksonville.

Pick up a copy of “Hidden History of St. Augustine.” It will make you laugh while you learn.